Athens City Council members will move forward with plans to donate $500 to OhioHealth O'Bleness Hospital to help purchase a forensic machine to more effectively examine sexual assault patients.
The machine, a colposcope, will cost $16,000. Keller Blackburn, county prosecutor, is raising money to help purchase one for the hospital's emergency room. The $500 from the city will come from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund, assuming the measure passes at the meeting on Monday.
A colposcope is especially useful in instances of child sexual abuse cases because the video and photo technology makes it so that only one examination is needed with only one examiner in the room.
The medical photographs and videos can later be reviewed by professionals, without the victim having to be present.
Council members will also vote on an ordinance allowing the Athens Police Department to enter into a memorandum of understanding that would allow APD officers to join the Sheriff's Office Special Response and Tactics Unit.
At last week’s council meeting, Sheriff Rodney Smith and APD Chief Tom Pyle spoke to council members about the unit.
The team is used in response to highly volatile situations, such as hostage situations, reports of gunshots or serving warrants to locations believed to be dangerous.
“We hope to never have to use such a team but, heaven forbid something happens, we need to have some kind of contingency plan,” Smith said at the meeting.
Council members were in favor of the proposal.
“Our main concern of course is insuring the safety of our residents,” said Council President Chris Knisely.
Council will also work on drafting an ordinance to establish the Athens Sustainability Action Plan.
The plan is a set of recommendations drafted by the Athens Environmental and Sustainability Commission based, in part, on workshops in which community members shared their ideas.
The 10 key recommendations include reducing water consumption per capita, increasing zero waste initiatives such as curbside composting, supporting local entrepreneurship by purchasing local products and designating a permanent home for the Athens Farmers Market.
